Does any one have 480v to their restaurant?
 

Been picking up toys for a "future" kitchen. Found a smoking deal (yes I did) on a combitherm, but it is 480. Not sure how many commercial buildings have 480v.

There are electrical devices called phase converters which can be used that will get the 480V you need, depending upon amount of amperage needed these things can be pretty expensive.

If the power company has three phase in the area it isn't too hard to get them to install it to your location. I would call them and ask.

So I have zero knowledge on the restaurant biz, but what the heck needs 480v? I work in the technology industry, and I've never seen any of our equipment need that much voltage. 220 is super common, but 480!?

probably some kind of big oven or freezer

I run an automotive test lab, we have a few 480v test stands

Correct!! :razz: Many commercial ovens are 480v. Hobart and Vulcan have these available. Also many commercial walk-in freezers are 480v.

And 480v is somewhat the commercial standard for electric motors as well.

The 480v rating is not unusual for commercial sites and is usually available for installation by your power company.

The stuff I learn on a daily basis on a BBQ forum is just downright cool sometimes! :grin:

It is a combitherm.
http://www.alto-shaam.com/products/c...mbi_ovens.aspx

Lots of good cooks have never seen one, but they have made a lot of mediocre cooks look awesome. It just happens that the one I am looking at is 480v. They come in 240v, but this particular one is a smoking (yes) deal.

Just make sure the cost of getting the proper electrical installed to run the unit still makes it a deal. Sure, saving thousands on a $15k+ piece of equipment is great, but if it's going to cost thousands to get it up and running and offset the savings, it could end up costing the same to buy a brand new 240v unit.

Of course, it all depends on how much of a deal it really is. But either way, talk with an electrician and/or your electric company first to see what they say before jumping in on a hot deal.

^Agreed. 480 is used here in all of our large office towers to run heavy equipment like the large AC units we require to keep them cool. 480 is also common in commercial environments like factories. Odds are that the original purchaser was either a commercial kitchen or someone like General Mills.. Best Foods or even a hospital.

As Maru said... check to see if it is more economical to buy it and have the power installed or just to forget it and shop around some more. If it sounds too good to be true... It probably is.

I would also call Alto-Shaam and ask them if it convertible?
Take a shot, it never hurts to make the call.

Also 208v/277v might also be present if we are talking 3-phase services.

480v is a common industrial voltage useful for any type of large motors. It would not be desirable in a restaurant or small commercial application.

It's not going to be worth it to pull in 480v. The cost of meter, panel and wiring upgrades will far exceed anything you save in equipment even if the power company will pull it in off the pole for free.

One leg of 480 is 277v so if you have 277v you must have 480v. 208v is a totally separate issue.